BEHIND THE SCREEN
^_ By SAMVEL GOLDWyN
(Continued from tntrrdu;.)
Too bad for Miss Goodrich! Too
had for the Lasky company! Almost
the minute I3o Miile started to work
with her he wired me, "Goodrich too
cold.”
In the film world this is an epi
taph. Nor did Miss Goodrich live
down her obituary. Time refused to
thaw her, and I was then initiated
into the profound truth that many
an actress whom individuality of
voice and beauty of coloring render
plowing on the stage are absolutely
caldmined by the camera.
However, my interview with Miss
Goodrich resulted profitably In an
other way. While dining with her
nt the Carlton in London I was in
troduced to a tall, broad-shouldered
tminiy looking chap with a mop of
< hestnut brown curls. From the mo
ment that I saw him I was struck
with Tommy Melghan’s possibilities
for the screen, and when he came
to America I wired Lasky to look
him over. We engaged him, and
Tommy went to California to make
tils first picture, "The Fighting
Hope."
"Tommy no good;” this was the
telegraphed verdict which Do Miile
tendered ‘after this initial perform
ance. I was then in .San Francisco,
and when I arrived in Los Angeles
the defendant got to me before tho
prosecutor.
"See here," announced Tommy rue
fully, “they say I’m no good around
this place, so I guess I’ll clear out.
The Universal has made me an offer,
anyhow."
“Do nothing of the sort,” I com
manded. "Wait until I see your pic
ture first.”
My view of that picture convinced
me that our chief director's opinion
had been conceived too hastily. And
tho outcome of my Intercession was
a very distinct gain. A year or so
planted this star on terra ftrma. To
day he is one of the most popular
actors of the screen.
A11 this happened in 1914. The next
vear was one especially significant
in motion picture circles. Among the
events contributing to its impressive
ness was that Titantic conception of
the silver sheet, “The Birth of a Na
tion.” This Griffith picture which, by
the way, was tho first screen perform
ance where $2 a seat was asked,
might also have been called “The
Birth of Numerous Stars.” Mae
Marsh, the Gish girls, perhaps a doz
en luminaries who have since flashed
across the public consciousness, owe
their success to parts in the giant
canvas.
It was during this year that De
Miile and I went to a dinner given
to Raymond Hitchcock, at Levy's
cafe in Los Angeles. We were half
way through when we were attract
ed simultaneously by a young man
who had just sat down at an adjacent
table. One look at the clear-cut face
and wo exclaimed in unison, “Isn't
he attractive! Wouldn’t he be won
derful in pictures!”
He was wonderful in pictures. For
ids name was Wallace Reid. The
very next day we engaged him at a
salary of $100 a week, and it was not
until this first meeting that we dis
covered he had already worked at
pictures under Mr. Griffith’s direc
tion. The untimely death of this
gifted and attractive man, whose fu
ture held so much of promise, brought
to his profession an irreparable loss..
CHAPTER SIX.
The Mischievousness of Mae Murray.
In this same eventful year the
Lasky company engaged another
actress whose name.is now-famlllar i
to the motion picture population of I
the world. The Ziegfeld Follies of
lftlj contained for the first time a
sereen episode introduced for the
yjesentation of an auto race. From
the moment 1 saw Mae Murray romp
ncross this incidental screen I saw
her possibilities. When I got in
touch with her, however, I discovered
that several other producers had
been inspired by the same belief.
That our organization was the
lucky competitor was due to a very
advantageous connection which the
Lasky company had formed some
time previously. The chief concern
of both Mr. Zi^kor and our organi
zation was to get big stories, big
pisys. and to this end Mr. Zukor
and I engaged in a memorable skir
mish over Mr. David Belasco. It Is
apparent, of course, at first glance
why the production of this, the most
eminent producer of the spoken
drama, should have assumed such im
portance in our eyes. Both of us
felt that If we could only have the
screen rights to the Belasco plays
we should be placed in an invulner
able position.
In our rival efforts Mr. Zukor had
the first advantage, for he had earlier
formed a connection with Mr. Daniel
Frohman, and through this alliance
he was enabled to get into direct
touch with Mr. Belasco. I, on the
(ontrary, made all overtures through
the gr^at producer’s business mana
ger. In spite of Mr. Zukor’s lead,
the result hung in the balance for
many days.
At last, Just when T was beginning
to despair, Mr. Belasco announced
that he would see me. How well I
remember that day when with beat
ing heart I sat in the producer’s pri
vate office awaiting (tie decision so
vital to my organization! It seemed
an eternity that I listened for tho
opening bf a door, and when at last
I heard it Mr. Belasco's entrance was
as dramatic as that of a hero in one
of his own plnys. The majestic head
with Its mop of white huir sunk a
trifle forward, tho one hand carried
inside of his coat—I can see now
this picture of him, as slowly, with
out a word, he descended the stair
to- greet me.
After I had gathered together my
courage I began to talk to him abouj
l)e Miile and I.asky and our organize
tlon, and he seemed Impressed from
the first by my enthusiasm. I think
he liked the fact that wo were all
auch young men. Indeed, he said so.
And it was this. I nm sure, which
influenced hl« decision. lie made it
that very day, and when I went out
of hi« door my head was swimming
with my triumph. Mr. Belaseo had
promised the Uasky company the
screen rights to all his plays. For
these right. I may mention, we prom
ised him $2."i,000 advance against 50
per cent of the profits.
I saw iny esteemed but defeated
ii\al at huir-h on this very same day,
and when I told him the news his
taco grew white. It >vas, indeed, a
tet ritlc blow. But a reversed decision
would have meant even more to me.
For such plays as "The Girl of the
Golden West” and "Rose of the
Rancho" merely helped to offset our
leading competitor’s tremendous ad
vantage in the possession of such
stars as Mary Bickford and Marguer
ite Clark.
The promise of the Belaseo plays
influenced favorably ninny a screen
actor of the time, and It was, In
fact, my assurance to Mae Murray
that she should play "Sweet Kitty
Ilelluirs" which weighed against more
dazzling offers from other studios.
Before Mae departed for California
she came to mo with a trouble cloud- 1
lng that fair young face. "I can’t do
It,’’ said she.
"Can’t do what?" I inquired appre
hensively.
"Why, this contract you've made
with me, It says that I get *100 a
week and that the company buys my
clothes. Now i can’t trust anybody
else tc^ pick out what I wear. Clothes
are part of my personality and I'd
much rather have more salary and
have the privilege of buying my own
wardrobe.”
I yielded the point and allowed her
an extra flOO a week to cover this
expenditure. Incidentally, I may re
mark that Mae could not have saved
many nickels from her allowance.
There Is a tradition that one evening
at the Hollywood hotel the charming
little actress changed her evening
wrap four times. I cannot verify
this legend, but I can say that Mae
never changes from had to worse.
She Is regarded as one of the most
beautifully dressed women of the
screen.
The clothes cloud was dispelled
from Mae's horizon. Unfortunately,
however, more severe storms awaited
her in California. First of all, she
was rent by the commands of a di
rector whose conception of her tal
ents had nothing in common with
Mae’s own.
"Be more dignified. Remember
that you are a lady, not a hoyden;"
this was the spirit if not the sub
stance of guidance.
At some such suggestion Mae would
protest angrily. "But I'm a dancer—
that's the reason I was engaged. And
now you want to turn me Into some
thing different. I tell you I’ll be an
utter failure If you go on like this."
Mae’s anger, was, of course, per
fectly justifiable. Her subsequent
successes have verified this fact.
Without the Infectious mad cap gay
ety which she herself appraised so
correctly from the first we should
never have had George Fltzmaurlce's
great success. "On With the Dance”
or "Beacock Alley.”
Miss Murray found another ob
stacle to overcome during those first
days. Fresh from a different medium
she knew nothing of the workings
of the camera. This knowledge, so
important tn assuming the post most
beneficial to oneself, was gradually
Imparted by a young chap In the cast
of her play.
“Say,” said he, "that guy's giving
you a raw deal. He's trying to get
his friend on the set right and you
can taks what’s left of the camera.”
"But what shall I do?” asked she
helplessly. “I don’t know how to
stand or look.”
“You watch me,” rejoined the good
Samaritan. “I’ll put you wise.”
Right then and there he arranged
a code by which to defeat the opera
tions of a cameraman who, accord
ing to report, did pot administer his
lens with impartial fervor. If he
put his finger to his left cheek It
meant, “Turn to the left;" to the
right, and the gesture was equally
logical. From this point of- _»rd the
system progressed to oil the most
minute provisions for securing some
of the coveted attention.
How to engross the most of the
camera! I regret to say that here on
the roof of this ambition has been
wrecked many a lofty nature. The I
public does not realize as It watches
the beautiful feminine star look lip
at the handsome male star over the
moonlit stile the warfare that may
possibly have occurred as to which
should get the more advantageous
focusping. Nor does It Interpret the
moving subtitle, “Promise me you’ll
leave,” which may accompany this
scene. In Its correct spirit of "Prom
ise me you'll leave me—a little of
the camera.” I have know sweet
hearts strangely Impervious to the
higher point of view when It came
to this test. And I shall tell pres
ently of a husband who skirmished
fiercely with his famous wife on this
particular point.
Mae's case was far from indicative
of such unappeasable appetite. Her
struggle was only for a just share of
the camera. Indeed, she has too
much respect for a good story ever
to offend by Insistence on an Indi
vidual prominence, which often de
-itroys the story.
She did insist on another director
and on claiming my promise of
Sweet Kitty Bellalre.” Both wishes
were gratified. But perhaps, in spite
of tier avowed admiration for the
workmanship of Jimmie Young, no
director ever really took with her
until she met Bobby Ueonard.
"Girls, girls.” she cried on the
evening of the day after she had
first worked under Bobby, "I’ve got
n great director at last!”
She was radiant. As she tripped
across the lot to her dressing room
her blue eyes danced exactly like
those of the little girl who has finally
drawn the gold ring at the merry
go-round. Nor did her gratification
stop at the studio. For, as all mo
tion picture fans know, khe suhse
quenlly married Viking Ueonard. and
they have been engaged in living
happily ever since.
(Continued in The Monday Morning Bee.)
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Burgess Bedtime^
v Stories J
By THORNTON W. BURGESS.
Hunger know* not rank nor cast;
It grips alike the firm and las*
—014 Mother Nature.
Danny’s Neighbors I'p North.
Danny and Nanny Meadow Mouse,
way down there far in the Sunny
South, had forgotten that there was
such a thing as winter. It was just
like summer down there. But back
on the Green Meadows and in the
Green Forest up North their old
time neighbors had almost forgotten
that there could be such a thing as
warm weather. The truth is they
were spending one of the hardest
winters in all their lives.
Snow had covered the Green Mea
dows. the Old Pasture and the Green
Forest and the Old Orchard at the
very beginning of winter. Not once
had it melted. Then one snow storm
Even Peter Rabbit sometime* ven
tured up to Farmer Brown’s in
broad daylight.
followed Hie other. It seemed as if
rough Brother North Wind was try
ing to see Just how much snow he
:ou!d bring down from the far North.
And It seemed as If Jack Krost was
trying to see just how hard he could
pinch and fyeer-e.
While Danny and Nanny Meadow
Mouse were having their wonderful
adverturea their neighbors of the
Creen Meadows back home were hav
ing hard work to get enough to ent.
They wouldn't have minded rough
Brother North Wind and the enow
he brought, and they wouldn't have
minded Jack Krost so very much If
they had had plenty to eat. But with
everything buried In snow and crusted
with ice food was to hard to get that
few of them knew where the next
day'# supply would come from. It
was especially hard for the smaller
people. It would have been hard
enough If they had had nothing to do
but hunt for food. But little people
like Peter Rabbit, Bob White, Mrs.
Orouse and Jumper the Ilare and
Tommy Tit the Chickadee and Drum
mer the Woodpecker and Seep Keep
the Brown Creepier had not only to
hunt far and wide for food, but at the
same time they had to watch out ev
ery minute for other hunters, hunters
who wanted them for food. They hod
to watch out for Reddy Kox. Old Man
Coyote, Terror the Goshawk, Booty
the Owl and Shadow the Weasel.
And these hunters In their turn
were having an almost equally hard
time. It wag harder to catch those
nn whom they depended for food, and
there waa very Utllo in their stom
achs for days at a time. They couldn't
Hit hark, bugs and seeds and nuts.
Yes, Indeed, It was a hard, hard win
ler. They suffered from cold ns well
as from hunger. No one with nn emp
ty stomach, no matter how thick his
coat may be, can i>e really warn. It
takes food to make heat.
Had It not been for Fanner Brown's
Boy I am afraid that many of the
little people would have died that
winter. But he knew just how hard it
was for them, so he never forgot to
put food out for them. Even Peter
Rabbit sometimes ventured up to
Farmer Brown’s In broad daylight.
And how they all did long for the re
turn of Mistress Spring! Only the
slee|>ers were comfortable and knew
no suffering.
. (Copyright H24.)
The next story: "The Boldness of
Old Man Coyote."
Can a Girl
Love More
Than Once
Dear Miss Allen: Can you advlss a
girl of 20?
Four years ago I was very young
and having no one to advise me was
in love with a man older than my
self. He was very nice to ms but
did not seem to understand that I
was In love with him. It was leap
year and I sent him a leap year pro
posal without saying, who It was
from. Two weeks later he proposed
to me. And I was happy. For a year
he cared a great deal for me.
But after a year something caused
him to become different. I was so
proud and stubborn that after he
broke a date with me and when he
never told me the reason or never
came back to even ask for an ex
planation. and feeling that the wrong
would never be made right, I thought
I would forget him. Now for three
years I have worked real hard trying to
forget him, but I find It impossible.
Miss Allen what I want to know is
—
this, can a girl love more than once,
anti will there come a day when a
girl forgets. Thanking you very
much. Yours truly. BLUE EYE JO.
I feel sure you will “love again.”
You are young and probably what
you need most is someone to divert
your thoughts from this “first love.”
Love is not a definite thing. Love
varies as much as the people who
bestow It. It is no better than the
person who gives It. To some people
it means fidelity, sacrifice, steadfast
ness and nothing short of a life of de
votion. Such people, who give them
selves fully and generously, don’t
love more than once. But to the per
son who mistakes a kiss, or a flirta
tion or mere gratification of vanity
for love, then I would say more tlisn
one love is possible. The more one
gives in his love, the less often he
can give it.
Jack—Ask me an easy one instead
of "Who is the richest man?” Henry
Ford has the largest income, accord
ing to statistics, and if capitalized, the
largest fortune in the world. Rocke
feller Is known to b« running a close
race.
- TkvMtlmqdb.)
1415 Farnam St.
Exceptional Values in
Suits and
Overcoats
Saturday
Values to $37.50
OUR HOUSE OF KUPPENHEIMER Suits and
Overcoats are reduced to $29.75 and $39.75.
These Represent Values from $40 to $65. >
Buy Now
If you never see another,
picture in your life see
JK....
Adapted freed
, TIIIMMrBOfHMi*
Sir Hall Caine
.4 story the years
will not forget.
TQP»Y fcjUgj®
Sell Yourself-then
Sell Omaha!
r A good salesman must ‘‘know his
stuff”—he must believe in his
firm, his goods and himself. He
must “sell himself” first—hen sell
his customer.
'YOU are a salesman for Omaha.
You believe in its ideals, its insti
tutions, its future. Learn the facts
about this wonderful city. Sell
yourself—then “sell” Omaha to
every man, woman and child you
meet!
Omaha needs more red-blooded
salesmen—men who know their
stuff and can “put it over.” TiCt’s
go!
Bemis Bro. Bag Co.
#
(real and UNREEL'!
j HON H. EMHV.
J Hull) wood OirrniMindrnt of Iho I
^ Omaha Bee,_ I
Two Good Reasons.
Talking about the Sennett lot re
minds us of Cecllle Evans, the red
head of the bathhig brigade, and
Cecllle, for no reason whatsoever, re
minds us of Blanche MehafTey, who is
over on the Roach lot.
Blanche went to work in the Fol
lies tirst, and they wouldn't let her
wear hardly any clothes at all, and
then she came out to the movies and
they put 17 petticoats on her. Which
she didn't like very much.
And Cecllle, when she got old
enough to toddle away from Oxford.
Kan , came to Hollywood because they
wore such bee-ootlful clothes In the
movies, and the first thing they did
was make her a bathing girl, and for
lwo years she hasn't had on anything
more substantial than a one piece
liathing suit.
And Cecil!* would like to wear 17
petticoats, and Blanche would like to
wear a bathing suit, and if you can
figure It out you win the sheet Iron
powder puff.
Excuse These lawn.
If "Alfred” hadn't Insisted, we
would never in the world have print
ed w hat Will R< gers said about "The
Ten Commandment." But A1 insists,
and so what Will said was. "I don't
see how 'The Ten Commandments'
can lie a success; so few folks have
read the book."
Trials of the Mighty.
You have no idea what these here
flllum ladles have to go through
The last picture Betty Compsou
made here she was supposed to get
fat. And she managed to gain 10
pounds as she went along. But she
said it was awful
And the other day we happened
onto Jacqueline Bogan's set and the
music was sweet and low and she
was Just starting to cry. And Just
as siie cried the first tear the cam
eraman yelled "Wait!" The flllum
had busted. And we would hate to
have to tell you what Jackie said.
It was a very naughty word, and it
was something like darn—only more
•6.
These Bathing Girls.
It's a funny thing about these bath
ing girls; quite a lot of them become
famous. In fact, they claim that
more female stars were made from
the old Sennett bathing brigade than
r.ny other aggregation in the world.
Mabel Nomiand, of course, started
out In a one-piece bathing suit. So
did Marie Prevest.
And on the walls of some of the
offices are fading pictures of a plump
little gazelle in a fancy bathing suit
and an innocent' smile, and almost
anybody could see that it was the
Gloria Swanson of yesterday.
■William A. Brady Is again a pro
ducer of pictures. The first will be
Robert Keable s story "Simon Called
Peter.’*
Hoot Gibson Fire Laddie
in New Screen Thriller
When Hoot Gibson gives up mak
ing thrillers for the screen and cornea
buck to his home town of Tekamah,
Neb., they ought to be able to choose
a job for "Hoot.’’
What chance would a fire have
with the redoubtable cowboy star all
dressed up like this'.’ Of course, the
hat he has on is representing the IjOb
Angeles department—but Hoot ex
plains that's for stage purposes only
—the one he would wear with an ex
cess of pride and zeal. would have to
read "Tekamah." The outfit is a part
of "Hook and ladder " in which he
is to appear on the Moon theater
screen.
AT THE
|,;r HEATERS
l>anr|ng is .in Important feature of
ths "Silk Storking Revue," next
week’s offering at the Uayety thea
ter, starting today there being #t
least three expert teams of artists in
the cast. Root and LrfiMonte are
riled for their pep and vigor. Car
ney and Carr offer a variety includ
ing eccentric stepping. The Busch
Sisters do oriental and society dances.'
Frank X Silk Is the featured corn
elian and Billy Wallace is his as
sistant. Frank Martin is tlie posses
sor of an excellent voice, as is Rav
Kossar. the prima donna. Tomor
row's matinee starts at 3. ■“
With the coming of the Famous
Smart Set Georgia Minstrels to the
Brandels theater tomorrow afternoon
and night and also Monday night,
the Omaha nnnstrel fan# will have
something to look forward to The
company numbers 50 people ard
makes a street parade daily with a
! and concert in front of the theater
• n the evening.
“Name the Man”
on Saturday
’’X’anie the Man" will open at the
Rialto theater Saturday in place of
Sunday, due. states the management,
to a great interest manifested in ths
attraction, which will merit It having
an eight days’ allowing.
The picture, which has lieen mad#
by Victor Seastrora of Sweden as his
first American picture, is from the
story. “The Master Man,’’ by Sir
Hail Caine.
"Over the Hill'' has been awarded
distinction of having the tax on
American films canceled in its case.
In Germany. The government rec
ognized the moral of the picture and
canceled the tax In order to encourage
its more general showing throughout
the country
KEEP’S-HOTEL ROME
Dancing Tonight
New Floor
Excellent Music
GEORGE ARLISS
‘THE
GREEN GODDESS’
With , .
ALICE JOYCE
DAVID POWELL and
HARRY T. MORLEY
Presented With a Special
Prologue Featuring
GLADYS MULLEN
Vaudeville—Photoplays
Starting Today
A. ROBINS
j "Tha WalUinf Music Star*"
and Notabla Sii-Act Coat
tha Sc roan I
THE LAST HOUR
With Mlltaa Sills I
‘MARGIE’
A Spicy Romance aff
l aught A Adventure
A Great Screen Feature
“ADAM AND EVA”
HOOT GIBSON
In Mi# l-anaH Ttirillar
"HOOK A LADDER”
STARTS f T Tgif.lf ^
TODAY IwlMUhJ
Second Week
ea s,
t>>torli>r
Edna Purviance
Written «nd Directed by
Charlie Chaplin i
—■
*:*>—NOW PLAYING—*:*)
DE LYLE ALDA
LATE STAR OF 7IECFELD FOLLIES
With Edvard Tiarnay A Jamra Donnelly
"Complimenta el the Seaaon"
Kenney A Hotlia 3 Danofoo Siatera
FENTON A FIELD
Cnthenno Sinclair A Ca.
WHITE SISTERS
-ADDED ATTRACTION
Scrnan Highlight# of K a - P r aa i -
dent Wilton'* Lifa
-NEW WEEK-DAY TRICES: -
(Monday to Satmday. Incluaical
Ec'ng*. 22c, 48c, 88*. 31 00, Plua Taa
Matin#** 2Sc and 30c, Plua Tna
tdba-i a «a*n a Omaha'* Fun Cantaa
Mat. and Nila Taday
CONTINUED EFFORTS BY BARGAIN
HUNTERS IO OBTAIN REASONABLY
GOOD SEATS FOR
‘SILK STOCKING REVUE’<£££
With Frank X Silk
YOU HAVE ONLY UNTIL FRIDAY NITF
I odlea' 18c Bat earn Mot., 1:18 Waek Doya
NEIGHBORHOOD THEATERS
BOULEVARD . - J.V1 and l aa* »b«tm »H
Wtw F«mU” and Vau«U\l1ta
“Ruth at tKa R«ni#.M N* 13
GRAND *.IFlIi and Rtnnav
William Farnum in *’Th» GunfifHtar”
lmp«r (at ( omfdv, “Why Pay Rent V
WHIN IN N F ED OF HELP
TH\
OMAHA BKK WANT ADS 1
«W TODAY
Last 2 Times
Victor Hugo’s Immortal
Classic
Magnificently Produced by
Carl Lactnmle
Starring Lon Chaney
with Ernett Torrence. Norman
Kerry. Patty Ruth Miller
Symphony Orchestra
—Choir—
Matinee 50c. 75c. «1.00
Evening 50c. $1.00. $1.50
5001 RESERVED 50c
500 1 SEATS ' $1.00
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